OMRON Asia Pacific, a global leader in automation technology, announced the launch of its Automation Center (ATC) in Singapore. The innovation showroom cum research and development (R&D) facility is part of a SGD 13.5 million (USD 10 million) investment in robotics capabilities in Singapore over the next two years and is in line with Singapore’s thrust towards advanced manufacturing. This is OMRON’s ninth and latest such centers globally.
Professor Quek Tong Boon, Chief Executive, National Robotics Programme, and Mr Takehito Maeda, Managing Director of Industrial Automation Business, OMRON Asia Pacific, officiated the center’s opening.
The ATC in Singapore offers a glimpse into the future of manufacturing, which is set to be connected, intelligent, and highly data-driven. This is the first OMRON ATC worldwide that is dedicated to exploring the use of advanced artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and robotics technologies for manufacturing applications.
Also unique to this ATC is a working model of OMRON’s Smart and Future Factory, and the Future CEO Cockpit, which showcase how a new level of manufacturing intelligence and operational visibility can be attained leveraging disruptive technologies.
Speaking after the ATC opening, Mr Takehito Maeda, Managing Director of Industrial Automation Business, OMRON Asia Pacific said: “OMRON has always believed in delivering value through technological innovation, keeping the customer at the heart of everything we do. With the ATC, we aim to demonstrate the potential of Smart Manufacturing and bring the future of manufacturing to our customers, today.”
“We have worked tirelessly alongside Singapore industries for decades now having equipped factory floors here through the generations. It is no different now as we continue to support our customers as they move on to embrace digital transformation. We are no doubt proud to be able to play a role in helping them build smarter factories in line with Singapore’s Smart Nation vision,” Mr Maeda added.
With manufacturing industry contributing to almost 20 percent of Singapore’s GDP, it is crucial that manufacturing industry players here stay abreast of the latest Smart Manufacturing innovations and technological developments.
Mr Lim Kok Kiang, Assistant Managing Director, Singapore Economic Development Board, commented: “Singapore’s transformation towards advanced manufacturing has been accelerated by our push for innovation and existing strengths in manufacturing. We continue to attract adopters and technology providers, to work together and build these innovative capabilities. We are glad that OMRON has chosen to set up its Automation Center here in Singapore, to drive the adoption of integrated automation solutions and robotics applications, particularly among the SMEs. We also look forward to OMRON’s talent initiatives to train and further the capabilities of Singapore’s system integrators and end users.”
Finally, the OMRON ATC in Singapore will provide a realistic platform for the team to work with customers across industries — including automotive, electronics and healthcare — to test new ideas and allow them to experience first-hand the benefits of industrial automation. This ultimately helps companies to find new ways of doing things to overcome business challenges and better meet the needs of their customers.
